Line Tension Transducer Series

Operation Manual

REFERENCE REFERENCE DESCRIPTION

This document contains proprietary and confidential information which National Oilwell Varco
belongs to National Oilwell Varco, hereafter referred to as NOV. It is
loaned for limited purposes only and remains the property of NOV. No 1200 Cypress creek Road
part of this document may be reproduced or copied in any form, or by any cedar Park, Texas 78613
means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise without the express written consent of NOV. This document is
USA
to be returned to NOV upon request and in any event upon completion of Phone 512-340-5000
the use for which it was loaned. All copyrights pertaining to this document Fax 512-340-5219
and the information contained and represented are the property of and
retained by NOV. Product, Brand, or trade names used within this
publication are the trademarks of their respective owners.
© Copyright 2014 National Oilwell Varco. All Rights Reserved.
DOCUMENT NUMCER REV

20-22 D

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Revision History

D 07.18.2014 Revision VM SS DF
C 09.14.2009 Template Conversion
B 08.25.2006 NOV Template Conversion
A 06.02.2006 Template Conversion
Rev Date Reason for issue Prepared Checked Approved

Change Description

Revision Change Description

D Revision
C Template Conversion
B Template Conversion
A Template Conversion

CERTIFIED PRODUCT

NO MODIFICATIONS PERMITTED WITHOUT

THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPLIANCE
ENGINEER
CERTIFICATE NUMBER(S)
IECEx UL 10.0024X
and DEMKO 03 ATEX 0305995X
__________________________________

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: General Information
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Safety Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Personnel Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Recommended Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
General System Safety Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Replacing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Routine Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Proper Use of Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 2: Overview
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Principle of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Selecting the Correct Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installation Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installation in Hazardous Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Periodic Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Periodic Inspection Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Field Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Deflecting Block Removal and Replacement Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Clamping Mechanism Removal and Replacement Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Physical Calibration Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Application Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Routine Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Shop Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

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Table of Contents

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1: General Information

This manual contains operations and troubleshooting information, which should enable qualified
personnel to navigate, operate, and troubleshoot this system. Every effort has been made to
ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. National Oilwell Varco (NOV) will not be
held liable for errors in this manual or for consequences arising from misuse of this material.

Conventions
Notes, Cautions, and War nings
Notes, cautions, and warnings provide readers with additional information and advise them to take
specific action to protect personnel from potential injury or lethal conditions. They may also inform
the reader of actions needed to prevent equipment damage. Pay close attention to the advisories.

Note: The note symbol indicates that additional information is provided about the
current topics.

Caution: The caution symbol indicates that potential damage to equipment or injury to
personnel exists. Follow instructions explicitly. Extreme care should be taken
when performing operations or procedures preceded by this caution symbol.
Warning: The warning symbol indicates a definite risk of equipment damage or
danger to personnel. Failure to observe and follow proper procedures
could result in serious or fatal injury to personnel, significant property
loss, or significant equipment damage.
ESD The ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) warning symbol indicates that static
Warning: control precautions are needed.

Illustrations
Illustrations (figures) provide a graphical representation of equipment components or screen
snapshots for use in identifying parts or establishing nomenclature, and may or may not be drawn
to scale.
Note: For component information specific to your application, see the technical drawings
included with your NOV documentation.

Safety Requirements
NOV equipment is installed and operated in a controlled drilling rig environment involving
hazardous situations. Proper maintenance is important for safe and reliable operation.
Procedures outlined in NOV manuals are the recommended methods of performing installations,
operations, and maintenance.

To avoid injury to personnel or equipment damage, carefully observe requirements outlined

in this section.

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Personnel Training
All personnel performing installation, operations, repair, or maintenance procedures on the
equipment, or those in the vicinity of the equipment, should be trained on rig safety, tool operation,
and maintenance to ensure their safety.

Personnel should wear protective gear during installation, maintenance, and certain
operations.

Recommended Tools
Service operations may require the use of tools designed specifically for the purpose described.
NOV recommends that only those tools specified be used when stated. Ensure that personnel and
equipment safety are not jeopardized when following service procedures or using tools not
specifically recommended by NOV.

General System Safety Practices

The equipment discussed in this manual may require or contain one or more utilities, such as
electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or cooling water.

Read and follow the guidelines below before installing equipment or performing
maintenance to avoid endangering exposed persons or damaging equipment.

 Isolate energy sources before beginning work.

 Avoid performing maintenance or repairs while the equipment is in operation.
 Wear proper protective equipment during equipment installation, maintenance, or repair.
Replacing Components
 Verify that all components (such as cables, hoses, etc.) are tagged and labeled during
assembly and disassembly of equipment to ensure correct installment.
 Replace failed or damaged components with genuine NOV parts. Failure to do so could
result in equipment damage or injury to personnel.
Routine Maintenance
Equipment must be maintained on a routine basis. See the service manual for maintenance
recommendations.

Failure to conduct routine maintenance could result in equipment damage or injury to

personnel.

Proper Use of Equipment

NOV equipment is designed for specific functions and applications, and should be used only for its
intended purpose.

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2: Overview
Introduction
This manual contains installation and operation instructions relative to the two basic types of
NOV TCE Line-Tension Transducers. Read the appropriate section of this manual before
installing or operating this equipment. Make sure that personnel operating the wire rope
system and TCE Transducers are familiar with the procedures in this manual.
NOV Line-Tension transducers share the same basic design as shown in Figure 2-1. The form
of signal output varies, normally one of several connector formats, or a junction box (J-Box)
with wiring terminal block contained inside. Figure 2-1 shows a connector version and Figure
2-2 shows a J-Box version. Physical performance of the transducer is unaffected by the
various physical output formats.
Wire Rope Yoke
Crank

Handle

Wire Rope Deflection Block

Signal Output
Yoke Connector
Crank (Varies)
Clamping Shoe

Figure 2-1. Line-Tension Transducer with Output Connector, Top and Side Views.

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Yoke Deflection Block

Handle J-Box
Crank

Signal Output
Yoke

Crank
Deflection Block
Clamping J-Box
Shoe

Handle

Figure 2-2. Line-Tension Transducer with J-Box, Top and Side Views.

Description
The Line-Tension Transducer provides a 4-20 mA loop-powered electrical signal output
proportional to a wire rope’s single-line load from no load up to 60,000 lbs to 100,000 lbs.,
depending on the model. The sensor consists of:
 An aluminum or stainless steel body with internally sealed strain gages and electronic
signal-conditioning circuitry.
 A pair of deflection blocks.
 A center clamping mechanism.
Features of the TCE include:
 Accepts wire-rope diameters from 7/8 to 2 inches (22.2 to 50.8 mm) without requiring
modification.
 The aluminum model is light weight: 17 pounds (7.7 kg).
 Low maintenance.

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 High accuracy with calibration error less then ± 5.0% of full capacity (nominal), including
hysteresis, repeatability, and non-linearity.
 Ingress Protection: IP20
 Certified intrinsically safe II1G Ex ia IIC T6.
 Certified, intrinsically safe for use in Class I, Division 1, Groups C & D hazardous
locations, temperature code T4.
 “CE” marked for compliance with European Union EMC Directive and ATEX Directive.
Principle of Operation
When the TCE is installed, the transducer is clamped to the anchored wire rope (deadline).
Because of the transducer’s geometry, the wire line is bent or deflected by 1/4 inch (6.35 mm)
at the center of the transducer body when properly installed.
When additional load is applied to the wire rope, the wire rope attempts to straighten at the
deflection point, exerting an outward force on the yoke. This force is transmitted through the
clamping mechanism, with reaction forces experienced by the deflection blocks and the
transducer body.
These combined forces create a strain on the transducer body, which the strain gages detect.
The strain-gage bridge and the signal conditioner work to produce a 4-20 mA output signal
proportional to the tension in the wire rope.

Installation
This section contains procedures for installing the TCE system. The sensor is factory-
calibrated to output 4-20 mA, representing 0 to maximum rated line tension when loop
powered by 13 to 28 Volts DC.
No special tools or electric power are required for installation. The only special part necessary
for installation is a mating signal cable of suitable length for the particular application.
Each TCE Line Tension Transducer is delivered calibrated and fully operational for the
maximum rated load capacity of the particular model.

Caution: The TCE sensor directly measures single-line load only. Be sure the
equipment displaying the load value accommodates the correct number of lines strung.

Caution: Install in accordance with the IS Control Drawing designated on the

sensor label and delivered with the sensor.

Caution: The TCE is often installed where high vibration is present. While vibration
does not damage the TCE, be sure to route the signal wire so vibration does not cut or
damage the wire.

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Selecting the Correct Power Supply

Inside the transducer body are load-sensing strain gages and an electronic signal conditioner
that provide a 4-20 mA, loop-powered signal output representing 0 to maximum rated load of
line pull. The signal conditioner within the TCE transducer requires a minimum of 13 VDC to
operate (and a maximum of 28 VDC). Make sure the power supply is capable of supplying
adequate voltage to the signal conditioner (min 13 VDC) and all other devices in the loop.
To select the correct Power Supply, insure both below formulas are met.
 Loop Power Supply > 13V + (.02 X Total Loop Resistance)
 Loop Power Supply < 28V - (.004 X Total Loop Resistance)
Note: NOV recommends a 24VDC Power Supply be used with the TCE transducer.

Installation Procedure
Install the TCE Line Tension Transducer as follows:
1. Find an acceptable site to install the TCE, keeping in mind the following:
a. The best place to install the device is close to the anchor; this reduces cable sway
and vibration.The shortest distance from the anchor to the TCE is 3 feet (0.914 m).
b. Reduce cable-routing effort by considering the location of the data-acquisition unit to
which the TCE is attached.
c. Because it is not a hydraulic device, the elevation of the TCE relative to other
devices is not important.
d. Because it is an electronic device, proper grounding techniques should be observed
during installation.
Note: To simplify installation, perform these steps when the wire line is not under load
(noise mitigation).

2. Make sure that the crank retaining screw (Figure 2-3) is in place and tight.
3. Loosen the yoke (Figure 2-3) by rotating the crank counterclockwise.
4. Rotate the crank until there is enough gap to allow installation.
5. Open the clamp by lowering the clamping mechanism and rotating it 180 degrees.
6. Install the wire rope.
7. Close the clamp by rotating it 180 degrees.
8. Make sure that the holes in the yoke line up with the guide posts.
9. Tighten the clamp by rotating the crank clockwise one full turn after the wire rope
contacts the transducer body.
10. When installing signal cable, refer to the specification control drawing shipped with the
sensor for connection specifics. Secure the cable near the sensor, providing strain relief
and preventing accelerated cable wear.

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11. Attach the RF ground lead (minimum 1 inch wide ground Braid) to one of the screws
located next to the signal connector or J-Box.
Note: The ground wire must be attached to a nearby steel structure and kept as short
as possible (25 feet maximum).

12. The Braid should be kept as short as practical, and terminated to a healthy nearby earth
ground.

4.56

Crank

Yoke

Clamping Shoe

Wire Rope

Deflector Block

Body

3.20

Signal Output Connector - (Varies - may be J-Box)

RF Ground Attachment Point

4.00

Figure 2-3. TCE System Assembly

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Installation in Hazardous Locations

When the TCE Line Tension Transducer is installed in a hazardous area, the transducer must
be connected in accordance with the applicable intrinsic safety installation control drawing.
The transducer label carries a reference to the applicable drawing(s) and these are also
shipped with each unit.
WARNING: Explosion Hazard. Failure to adhere to the requirements of the
installation control drawing may lead to loss of life and property damage.

Periodic Inspection
This section contains procedures for periodic inspection and field maintenance. Periodic
inspection includes preventative maintenance and service for equipment safety, security, and
cleanliness.

Periodic Inspection Procedure

Perform the following steps every two weeks:
1. Wipe off and inspect equipment for excessive wear, gouging, and cable fraying.
2. Replace defective parts or assemblies to reduce downtime.
3. Return defective items to the nearest NOV facility for shop maintenance or repair.
Field Maintenance
Field maintenance is limited to removal and replacement of system components or the
assembly itself. Detailed shop maintenance includes component disassembly, cleaning,
inspection, and reassembly.
Field-repairable components include:
 Deflecting Blocks
 Clamping mechanism assembly
Deflecting Block Removal and Replacement
Procedure
If deflecting blocks become worn, output from the device will decrease. If signal output loss
can be attributed to deflecting block wear, replacement is necessary.
Remove and replace deflecting blocks as follows:
1. Perform the installation procedure in "Installation Procedure" on page 10 in reverse
order.
When a step instructs to tighten by rotating clockwise, perform the opposite to loosen
(rotate counterclockwise), etc.
2. Using a 5/32-inch hex wrench, remove the two screws holding the deflecting block in
place (Figure 2-3 on page 11).
3. Apply Loctite thread-locking adhesive to each of the screws removed in Step 2 above.
4. Install new deflecting block using the Loctite-treated screws.
5. Perform the installation procedure in "Installation Procedure" on page 10.

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Clamping Mechanism Removal and

Replacement Procedure
If the clamping shoe of the clamping mechanism becomes worn, output from the transducer
will decrease. If signal output loss can be attributed to clamping shoe wear, replacement is
necessary.
Remove and replace the clamping shoe as follows:
1. Perform the installation procedure in "Installation Procedure" on page 10 in reverse
order.
When a step instructs to tighten by rotating clockwise, perform the opposite to loosen
(rotate counterclockwise), etc.
2. Remove the retaining screw and lock washer from the clamping shoe. (Figure 2-3 on
page 11).
3. Rotate the clamping shoe 90 degrees and slide the shoe off.
4. Install a new clamping shoe and lock by installing the retaining screw and washer
removed in Step 2 above.
5. Perform the installation procedure in "Installation Procedure" on page 10.
Calibration
Physical calibration is the easiest field calibration technique because it takes into account all
possible parts of an installation by directly loading the sensor. The physical calibration
procedure assumes the sensor reacts in a linear fashion to increasing load. This means that
the calibration techniques are all of a 2-point variety, with the two points defining the linear
response of the sensor.
As with any 2-point calibration, the farther apart the data points are, the more accurate the
calibration. As a general rule, try to take one data point from somewhere less than 25% of total
capacity, and a data point from somewhere above 75% capacity.
Two-point calibration is done by applying an accurately-known load to the system, and
adjusting the output display to match the known load value. It is recommended that every
installation get a physical calibration at least once, preferably at commissioning.
Note: The most accurate calibration makes use of the data contained in the calibration
certificate provided with each transducer.

Physical Calibration Procedure

1. Remove all load from the system so that the system is in a condition where the
measured value on the display should read zero. Although the low-end calibration point
doesn’t need to be zero, zero is often the easiest data point to obtain.
2. Adjust the display to read zero. (Refer to your display user’s manual)
3. Apply a known physical load.
4. Adjust the display to read the actual value of the known load. (Refer to your display
user’s manual)
5. Remove the load and verify that the display reads zero again.

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6. Activate each calibration circuit in the system as applicable (shuntcal, voltage

substitution, Bridge substitution), and record the values of each for future reference.
Application Notes
When a system is defined, the decision of what kind of electrical calibration to use should be
settled during system definition prior to sale. As a rule of thumb:
 If the load can be removed routinely, such as a simple crane application, then choose
shunt calibration.
 If the load cannot be removed easily, then choose voltage substitution.
At this time, one should also start planning for a physical calibration at the commissioning of
the system. This physical calibration must be performed at least once so that accurate
calibration constants can be acquired. These values become the calibration constants for
future maintenance and routine calibrations.

Routine Calibration
Provided you have calibration constants from a good physical calibration, frequent checks of
system calibration can be accomplished by closing a switch and making sure the displayed
value matches the recorded value.
This means that in most applications, daily calibration checks can be performed by the
operator. Maintenance personnel are not needed except to resolve situations where the
displayed value does NOT match the recorded value.

Shop Maintenance
Detailed shop maintenance of the sensor assembly includes:
 Disassembly
 Cleaning
 Inspection
 Reassembly
Do not separate permanently-bonded parts such as the expansion plug; instead, replace the
next higher assembly. Lubricate crank screw threads.
If the sensor does not operate correctly or does not hold calibration, return the transducer to
an NOV-designated repair facility.

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